Steph's daughter
by ChestnutFilly
Summary: What happens when Steph's daughter runs away from her mum and returns to Trenton to find her father
1. Chapter 1 WHO'S MY DADDY?

WHO'S MY DADDY? (Chapter 1)

I was siting in the window seat of a plane watching the clouds pass by taking me further away from the only life I had ever known. I had run away from home after a bad argument with my mom Steph, she simply wouldn't tell me who my dad was. I mean its not as though I'm too young, I'm 8 years old but I'm doing year 6, so I'm not stupid. I pulled a lose strand of my long straight brown hair behind my ear, my mother always said I was the perfect mix of her and my dad, I had my dads dark brown eyes and straight hair but my mothers skin and heart. I guess that's why we alway got along so well until today. Now, I was going to go to Trenton without telling my mom, I knew the address of her parents house, my grandparents I guess so I was going to start there. I had saved for this trip for three years and was determined to find my dad Ranger, (what kind of name is that) before my mom could catch up with me.

As the plane landed I could feel my heart racing a hundred miles per hour. God was I nervous but I was also determined. As I collected the one bag I had grabbed on the way out of our Las Vegas apartment I started pushing my way through to the door. Halfway there some bored but nice looking cop. grabbed me on the arm 'Excuse me miss, but are you with anyone?' I shook my head at that looking up at him, I hadn't planned on being caught so easily.'

'Beeeeeep...beeeeep' I grabbed my phone out with my other hang, looking at the ID I hit the hang up button, I really didn't want to talk to mom right now. 'I'm afraid I've got to hand you over to air pot security till someone over eighteen can come and get you.'

'Wait, could I call my grandparents, I wasn't going to say this but I'm here for a surprise visit so they didn't come and pick me up.' The cop took the piece of paper I had stolen out of my mom's handbag and read it. 'This is Steph's parents number.' That stopped me up short, this cop knew my mom, that wasn't good.

'Yeah, could I please call them they'll want to know where I am.'?

POV - Morelli

I just starred at this little girl starring up at me; she was so like Steph in her appearance except those eyes. I felt my heart sink as I realised why I hadn't recognised her immediately, her eyes were Rangers and the silky hair was probably his too.

'Beeeeeeep...beeeeeeep...beeeeeep' this time she answered it and I could see the innocence on her face which reminded me so much of Steph at that age.

"Hey mom, yeah I'm fine but I'm a bit busy at the moment...no I won't be home tonight...well, its like this...' I took the phone of her as she went to hang up.

'Is that you Steph?' I asked into the phone.

"Joe, what are you doing on Kaysie's phone?' She replied in a voice I could recognise anywhere.


	2. Chapter 2 WHAT THE?

WHAT THE? (Chapter 2)

POV - Morelli

I continued to stare at the phone long after Steph had hung up. I had been so sure she had left because of Ranger but now as I stared at the eight year old staring up at me I finally understood what had happened.

'We should get out of the doorway,' I muttered not taking my eyes of her face. She looked so much like Steph in her build except the fact that she was incredible skinny. But looking at the colour of her deep brown eyes and long hair I could tell she wasn't my kid. I felt like throwing something at the moment as I continued to find similarities between Kaysie and Ranger. Kaysie seemed to sense that I was in a dangerous way because she took a few steps back.

"How do you know mom?' She asked her voice strong and light but with an authorities tone I seemed to find funny.

Laughing quietly I grabbed her bag and walked out the door, 'me and your mom used to date on and off.' Kaysie nodded and followed me out of the door towards my car. I couldn't believe it though; I had never thought Steph and Ranger had gone that far.

POV - Steph

I hung up the phone on the kitchen counter and collapsed into the nearest armchair. I couldn't believe that Kaysie was in Trenton and with Joe. Suddenly, I couldn't take it, I had to go and get her. I needed answers as well and as every who knew or knows me now knows when I get curious I have to find the answers. As I took the elevator down to the car park questions like, how she brought the plane ticket, where the money had come from, how on Earth did an eight-year-old girl buy a ticket to Trenton? But to answer those questions I needed to find Kaysie and that meant going to Trenton.

I went over the conversation I had had with Joe as I drove towards the nearest airport not noticing how cold it was. I can't believe I told him to take her to my parents house and that I would be there soon to explain. As I turned the car off in the car park I had to lean my head on the wheel for a minute, I couldn't handle this that's why I left in the first place, why on Earth was Kaysie making me go back.

POV - Kaysie

I knew mom was going to be mad but she would understand eventually, I just had to know what he was like. As the cop stopped the car in front of a house that looked like something out of what not to do to your house catalogue, I started to get nerves in my stomached. What if they didn't like me, what if they told me to go home, what...' I didn't get any further because the cop intervened at that point.

'You know you look a lot like your mom when you think like that, I used to tell her I could smell things burning when she was thinking.' I smiled at that, he must have known mom well to come up with that, because it was exactly what I always thought.

Opening the door to the car I could sense the cops eyes on me. 'Do you want me to come in and explain it to them?' He asked in a voice that was masked with anger.

'Explain what, you don't know anything about me.'

'I know your Steph's little girl and that your not meant to be here...' (He paused at that point). Did I leave anything out?'  
I shook my head and grabbed my bag on the way out of the car, 'come in if you think it'll help but seriously I'll be fine.'

Obviously he didn't think it would help because he drove away at top speed.

As I looked at the house I realised he didn't tell me what side they lived on. I was about to turn around and walk away when an old lady dressed in a tennis outfit that would have looked great on Nicole Kidman but looked shocking on her opened one of the doors. 'Hello, what have we got here. Ellen you better come and check this out.' She yelled the last part off into the house.

I decided this could only be moms Grandma, I mean how many old ladies do you know who dress like their in their early twenties. Hoisting my bag higher on my shoulder I started walking to the door just as the lady called Ellen got there.

'Can I help you sweet heart?' She asked as I walked closer. Sweet heart, she obviously didn't know me at all.

'Um, excuse me but are you Mrs Plum?"

"I am are you selling something dear?" She asked pulling out her purse.

I shook my head and took a deep breath ready to break the news when, ' beeeeeeep...beeeeeeep...beeeeeeep"

I was really started to dislike the sound, 'Hi mom,' I said slightly relieved slightly that she had called at that precise moment.

'Where are you?' She asked her voice full of worry.

"Um...where are you?"

"At the air port I'll be there in a few hours and I'll take you to see your father, where about are you?"

"I'm at your parents house." I replied quietly but the ladies at the door had heard it as clear as day.

"Is my mom there?" She asked he voice quivering slightly.

"Yeah I just got here though so..."

Mom cut me of, "put her on the phone, she should here it from me."

I walked towards the younger lady, 'she wants to speak to you' I said in a scared voice.

The lady took the phone, "Hello, who's this?"

I heard mom answer but after that lost track of the conversation after only picking up a few words and emotions on this side. Finally she closed the phone, 'you had better come inside. If you're really Steph's daughter you will like cake so if you come in I'll give you a slice and then you can tell me all about yourself.' I nodded and followed her inside the house.


	3. Chapter 3 FLASHBACK

_FLASH BACK - The Mistake??? (Chapter 3)_

(Takes place from the last sentence of TS) - - - - Ranger forked an icing rose of the cake and fed it to me. "One Ranger is all you'll ever need."

And with that he pulled me in towards him for a kiss. As the kiss got deeper and deeper I could feel my heart racing and my hormones screaming for more. I leant in closer and started to run my hands along his back and felt his body respond passionately. Before I knew it he had picked me up still lightly kissing me on my neck and taken me into the bedroom. As he lay me down on the bed he whispered in my ear, 'are you sure you want this, Babe.' I just looked at him, at that moment I wanted nothing else but the feel of him inside of me.

In reply to his question though I lent forward and kissed him deeply on the lips, 'more than anything in the world,' I whispered just as gentle in his eat. He smiled at that and kissed me deeply slipping his tongue in between my lips while he slipped my pants nickers and all of me.

The next morning I woke up rapped in his sheets with a strange feeling in my stomached. As I lay starring up at the ceiling my thoughts were all centred on last night and what it was going to mean for Joe and me. What hurt the most was that ranger hadn't been here when I woke up. I loved the feel of him around me and couldn't believe he had left me there. But credit to him after I had had my shower I checked the clock it was 11.20 am, I guess he had to get to work sooner or later

For the next few weeks I spent my days avoiding both Joe and Ranger. It took me 3 week to figure out I might be pregnant and after six pregnancy tests later I was almost sure I was. That's when I decided to run, actually I just wanted to get away for a weekend and get absolute conformation on the pregnancy, I mean the pregnancy tests are only 98 accurate right, so there was a 2 change all of them were wrong. Anyway when I got the Vegas (I couldn't have gone to a hospital in Trenton because everyone knew everyone there), which I had to go to for a skip anyway but then I decided it would be a great place to hide. It took me a few more weeks to arrange my disappearance and all the time I avoided Joe and Ranger. Then on a rainy day when there were few cars on the street I left Trenton, I hopped on a plane to Vegas with all my savings (which wasn't much) and a few of my most precious things and clothes and never looked back.


	4. Chapter 4 SPILLING MY GUTS

Chapter 4 - Spilling my Guts

I liked my grandparents house it was the kind of cosy home I had always imagined it would be but that still didn't changed the fact that I felt like I was being questioned at a police station. I was sitting at the table with a slice of what I gathered was coffee cake and being grilled on every aspect of my life by my grandma and great- grandma. I was honest to an extent but I refused to touch the cake I wasn't big on sweets.

I guess they thought I was jet lag because they sent me up to bed after that. My grandma took me to a room that used to be my moms and I collapsed into a heap on the bed. 'Don't you want to take a shower or eat something fist?" She asked her voice all motherly. I simply shook my head; all I could think about was sleep. As she left I could have sworn I heard her mutter, 'so like her mother.'

The next day came sooner than I wanted, I wasn't sure how I was going to get these people, okay my grandparents to help me but I had too. If I waited for mom to get here she would shove me on a plane and I would never meet him. As I walked downstairs my grandma was laying out a breakfast of pancakes for me. I ate the full plate, my mom was never one for domestic things so this was the first time I had eaten pancakes and I liked them, though secretly I wish they had strawberries and cream on them.

As she collected up my plate I asked, 'could you take me to see my daddy today?'

She just looked at me, ' you met him yesterday didn't you?"

"Who Joe, he's not my daddy some man called Ranger is."

Crash, she fell to the ground, I guess mom hadn't told her. I simply pored my glass of water over her, I had seen people doing that in movies and it usually worked. To my amazement she came to, 'your Rangers child,' she mutter over and over again.

'Well… I just kinda said that. Will you please take me to see him I don't want to wait for mom to get here?'

'Oh, that's right Steph called, well your mom called she's trapped at the air port due to a blizzard and wont be able to get here for a while.'

I nodded, trying not to show how stupid I thought she was. In Vegas we barely have rain let alone a Blizzard.

Shaking her head I got the feeling she had made her decision, 'I'll take you to see him if you really want to then you and I are going shopping, I don't know how much stuff you brought in that small bag you had with you but it can't be much.'

I was so excited about both parts of her answer I threw my arms around her neck and gave her a big hug. 'I'd like that,' I murmured, well I was my moms daughter.

My grandma led me towards a blue Buick, which I thought, looked like something of Noddy. Keeping my thoughts to myself I slid in to the passengers side and suddenly felt rather small.

As we drove my grandma asked me about our home life, where we lived, what we ate, what mum did for a living and so forth. I answered the best I could but really didn't have many details; I was only 8. What sort of 8 year old cares about where the food or her clothes come from; certainly not me! As we drove into a high rise district I my tummy started to get all bubbly, I guess butterflies would be the best way to describe it.

We parked across the street from a seven-story business that didn't look like much to me. As she turned of the car my grandma turned to me, 'this is the address Steph gave me years ago when she worked here.'

'Do you think he'll still be in there?" My voice sounded excited but nervous at the same time.

My grandma reached over and gave me a hug, 'if he's there we'll get in to talk to him, I promise.'

I nodded and tried to open the door, no luck it was way to heavy for me. My grandma smiled and came round to my side. Opening the door she pulled me out by my hand, 'you okay?' She asked as my legs gave way to nerves and I collapsed against her.

'We can come back tomorrow?' I shook my head and pointed towards the reception area.

'I've got to do it.' My grandma smiled at that, 'you're as determined as your mother!'

**OK, I've hopefully caught all the areas and fixed up the inconsistencies in the story. Thanks for all the criticism and I hope the story is easier to read and understand now.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Poor Ranger

As we walked into the reception area I spun this way and that trying to take it all in. My grandma approached the desk, 'Hi, I'm um…' she said looking over at me, '…looking for Ranger, do you know if he still works here.'

POV – Bobby

The day had been boring so far, I hated deskwork and it was even worst when you had to work reception. I guess that would teach me to bet I though shaking my head. I was getting ready to go to lunch when the lady and her kid walked in. This caught my interest immediately, nice family looking ladies and their kids didn't come by here often. Actually, the last time a nice looking lady walked in was Steph just over 8 years ago.

'Can I help you maim?" I asked as she stopped in front of the desk.

'I just said I'm looking for ranger, doe he work here or not?"

I pushed number three on the intercom and got Tank on the other end, 'you got something for me Bobby?'

'Is Ranger up there, got some lady and her kid down here asking for him?'

'He's here, did you get the name of the lady?'

I let of a ring of sware words and watched the lady try and cover the kids ears, 'sorry bout that, do you have a name?' I asked and almost kicked myself for asking that.

'What sort of question si that of course I have a name, what sort of person doesn't have a name, are you on drugs or something or are you just really stupid.' The second she finished speaking her hand flew up to cover her mouth.

'Sorry I didn't mean to be rude, I'm Ellen Plum?"

I was sure I could feel my heart stop, 'are you related to Steph by an chance.'

This time it was the girl who spoke up, 'you know my mum?' She asked fixing her dark brown eyes on my face.

I pushed the intercom button again, 'Tank you'd better send Ranger down here.'

'Who's the lady?' He asked always slow on the uptake.

'Steph's mum, the kids Steph's.' I mumbled so that the lady and the kid wouldn't here.

Tank let out a role of sware words, 'We'll be down in a second.' He replied before a beeping sound told me he had disconnected.

'There on their way down,' I relayed and watched the girl grab the ladies hand for support.

'We can go and come back,' she whispered but the girl shook her head, 'I came here to do this and I'm going to do it before mum gets here.'

'Why isn't mum here?' She asked looking up at her grandma.

'Blizzard,' She said with a shake of her head.

'We don't get blizzards in Las Vegas,' the girl replied as the elevator doors opened.

POV – Ranger

I walked across the foyer towards the woman who reminded me painfully of my babe and a kid who seemed to be starring at me in disbelief.

'Hi, Bobby said you were asking for me.' I said nodding towards Bobby as I mentioned his name.

'Are you Ranger?' The little girl asked her brown eyes that reminded me of something I couldn't place fixed on my face.

'Yes and you are?"

At that moment the girls cell phone started ringing. I watched her check the readout and then try and disconnect before the woman next to her grabbed it. I watched the woman take the cell phone from the girls hand and answer.

'Hello, Steph where are you?'

I looked at her in shock, surely I had misheard and she had said something else. Trying to look away I watched the young girl who was still starring at me.

'What's your name?' I asked trying to get her to advert her eyes.

'Kaysie,' she muttered lowering her eyes to my feet.

POV – Steph

'What's your name?' I heard in the background on the other end of the phone. I listened as Kaysie repeated her name.

'Mum, where are you?' I asked urgently.

'Rangeman, Kaysie was desperate to come.

'Is Ranger there?' I asked looking out the air port window at the snow covered Las Vegas air port.

'Yeah, do you want me to put him on?'

"Yeah, he should hear this from me.' Boy was I glad she couldn't seem hand shaking as I tried to hold my cell steady.

POV – Ranger

The woman pushed the cell phone at me, 'she wants to talk to you."

I put the phone to my ear, 'Yo,' I mumbled

'Ranger.'

'Babe, is that you, where are you?"

'Yeah its me, I'm in Las Vegas but snowed in, the girl probably starring at you is my eight year old daughter Kaysie.'

I froze at the news and looked over at the eight year old; Kaysie who was still starring up at me.

'Morelli's?" I asked and heard her take a sharp intake of breath

'No, she's yours.'

I felt my heart stop as Steph started telling me about how she found out and why she ran. For the first time I wasn't listening fully I was starring at my eight-year-old daughter.

_Please Read and Review! – only a few more chapters to go!_


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